Unequivocal Reign
by Freed Again
Summary: [Post Canon Universe] She loved her lord so she promised herself that she would stay by him no matter what he chose but would she truly be able to share him with someone else? No. If he wouldn't claim her then she would claim him. SesshomaruXRin
1. Chapter 1

Chapter I

 **Author's Note:** Hopefully there are not too many grammatical errors and the like. If there are, I will make sure to fix them in the near future. Hopefully the storyline flows. If it doesn't, I will also make sure to correct that. Hopefully it's enjoyable. If it's not, I am not sure I can fix that ever. Perhaps never. Anyway, this Rin may be a bit different than any Rins you've seen before: a little more mature and a little bit darker since this felt the most authentic to me, considering she grew up in Sesshomaru's presence.

Best wishes to any and all who read this piece!

***Sesshomaru only has one arm in this piece. It will be told why it's missing once again as the story progresses.***

 **Disclaimer:** I do not own 'Inuyasha' nor any of the characters.

* * *

Wood crackled as fire consumed each individual piece slowly but surely, the smell of cinders and grass permeating the air. The trees swayed. The crickets chirped.

The golden glow of the fire illuminated the muscular back of Sesshomaru, his narrow hips moving at a steady rhythm into the woman below him. Sweat eased its way down his brow. Short releases of hot breath intermingled in the space between them. She moved to close the distance between their lips but he tilted his face away.

They had never kissed.

Rin knew why but she didn't want to think of the reason while her lord was above her, wanting to be able to fully bask in one of his rare shows of affection. She wrapped her legs tighter around him and buried her face into his neck, inhaling his scent while silently asking for the final crescendo that would undoubtedly lead to both of their peaks. He complied and they fell as one. His body lowered onto hers. She could feel every ridge of his bones and every sinew of his muscles press against her. Rin didn't move. She held her breath, terrified that any movement would act as the catalyst to the inevitable end.

Moments passed, mere seconds, before she could no longer remain still in order to inhale. Her chest rose minutely and, as she knew would happen from their previous encounters, he stirred.

She longed to encase him in her arms so that they could stay connected because she loved his warmth, his soft breath caressing her neck, and him. She wanted to keep Sesshomaru prisoner so that he would have no choice but to be hers, but she could not: he was her lord, a strong demon, and she was his ward, an ethereal human. She allowed him to push himself off of her, acutely aware of the fact that he would never allow for love, at least, not with her. Her heart twinged. He got up and dressed.

He looked at her from the corner of his eyes.

She never stopped looking at him.

He spoke, "Rin."

How she loved that deep baritone of his voice even since before she understood the meaning of love.

"Yes, my lord?" She held herself up by her arms.

"Jaken and Ah-Un will be here soon."

She smiled, "Thank you, my lord," and closed the front of her kimono, happy that he gave her a warning to allow her to preserve her modesty.

He stared at her for a while before ending their conversation with a "Hn," and breaking eye contact.

He walked to the tree across from where she was and sat down against it. Not a second later Jaken and Ah-Un appeared in the clearing bearing rabbits and fish to cook for the night. Jaken made a noisy entrance.

"Milord! I have returned!"

Sesshomaru ignored him. Rin did not.

"Welcome back, Jaken-sama," she greeted with a smile.

Ah-Un walked over to where she was and plopped down next to her as Jaken followed the creature to Rin's side of the camp.

"Silly girl, you must have missed me."

She let a laugh escape her. It sounded like rain on a brilliant spring morning. "I have, Jaken-sama, I really have. How was hunting?"

Over the past year, since Rin had rejoined them, she and Jaken had gotten closer and, ever since her affair with Sesshomaru began three months ago, they had reached a silent agreement that Jaken would pretend that he had no idea what was happening between her and the Lord of the West despite the overwhelming scent they released. It was for Jaken's safety against either magically manifesting rocks or an untimely beheading. Rin was grateful.

He unhooked a pouch from Ah-Un's saddle and grabbed a bowl, pouring water from the pouch into the bowl.

"As expected from one as brilliant as me, it went stunningly well because I am the ever perfect Jaken. Here, have some water." He offered the bowl to her.

"Thank you," she replied as she she took it and brought it to her lips.

Sesshomaru watched silently as Rin drank, noting how a trail of water slid down the corner of her lips and caressed her neck until it kissed her collarbone.

"Jaken," his voice rang through the space between them.

The imp jumped slightly at hearing his name called by his master but quickly answered, "Y-yes, Milord!" He stood rigidly stiff where he was.

"We're returning to the palace come morning."

"U-Understood, Milord!"

Rin chuckled, "Jaken-sama, I don't think you need to be so flustered."

"W-what do you know, you silly girl?!"

She continued to giggle at Jaken's antics sporadically as he moved to prepare dinner but she felt a certain unease at going to the Western Palace. She had never been there in her nineteen years of life and had been living in Kaede's village since she was eleven. Previous to rejoining her lord and Jaken, she had spent her days learning and gossiping with Kaede and Kagome and nights training with Kohaku and Sango. Inuyasha would sometimes allow her to train with him but the truth remained that nobody around her knew anything about the demon court and so she never learned the proper etiquette for it because Jaken and Sesshomaru had never told her anything about it either.

She tried to calm her unease.

She would have plenty of time to learn about it after they arrived tomorrow but what about her current relationship with her lord?

Dread filled her. She knew that what she shared with him was fragile but, as long as they continued traveling, their affair could remain surreptitious. Rin was not naive. She knew that no one would approve what she was doing with Sesshomaru, not even Sesshomaru himself, which was why she was relived when Jaken felt no need to acknowledge their relationship.

Her thoughts were rapidly moving in a downward spiral but she took a deep breath and forcefully composed herself.

She would have faith.

She didn't know in what but she firmly believed that one day Sesshomaru would truly accept what they shared together. Before then, she would do her best to achieve a standing and level of knowledge that was worthy of her lord.

He will acknowledge her. One day. Yes. Definit-

She was abruptly snapped out of her thoughts by Jaken throwing a cooked rabbit's leg at her, "Snap out of it!"

She jumped, barely catching it before setting the leg down in the bowl he had given her water in.

"I have now," she mumbled.

"Good!"

A slight irritation welled up within her but she crushed that down as she did with her uncertainty. Jaken was like family. No, Jaken was family: the closest that she had ever had. She wouldn't let anything negative influence that. Plus, she knew that he meant well but… a little tickle fest never hurt anybody.

She crouched down into a hunting position, hid her intention, and then launched herself at him. As soon as she landed the tackle, she commenced her onslaught of attacks to his sides and feet, fingers nimble.

He broke out into a fit of uncontrollable laughter.

"W-what do you think you're doing, y-you s-stupid girl?" He said in between breaths and laughs.

"W-what does it look like I'm doing, J-Jaken-sama?" She replied, mimicking him.

"S-s-s-stop!" He cried.

"How about… n-n-n-no?" She replied.

The banter between the two continued. Sesshomaru watched them from where he was, the corner of his lips twitching upwards, before he closed his eyes.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter II

 **Author's Note:** If there are any questions with regards to the story, feel free to ask. I will answer them in the following chapter of when the question was asked in the ending section unless the answer will include a spoiler to a future chapter!

Much love.

* * *

Rin had always loved traveling on the back of Ah-Un. Whenever the two headed dragon carried her, she would gently rest her head against his mane and close her eyes, allowing the gentle breeze of the sky to wrap around her exposed skin like a delicate lace. She often felt that by allowing her to ride Ah-Un, Sesshomaru was caring for her in his own way.

Though, when she thought back on it, Jaken was often riding along with her.

No. She shook her head. Her lord was not one for words so she would have to find his meanings within his actions. He must've cared for Jaken as well. Perhaps his feelings toward them may be more familial than what she felt for him, but she knew that actions such as these would most likely be the closest thing to love Sesshomaru would ever show her in this lifetime, outside of the actions for pleasure they occasionally shared... Perhaps his feelings toward her were not familial either.

Her cheeks flushed with color, remembering the feeling of him within her the night before. Rin snuck a look at him but then immediately returned to her previous position when she felt her focus become drawn to the angle of his jaw and the slight part of his lips. She would have to stop thinking about this topic or else her lord would notice a change in her scent.

"Jaken-sama."

"Yes, Rin?" Jaken's voice held a note of irritation as though she had interrupted an important line of thought.

She quickly thought of a question, "What's the Western Palace like?"

"You will see soon enough."

"How so?"

He smirked in triumph and pointed towards the area before them, "We're arriving. See?"

The clouds started parting alongside them, tinted in a beautiful golden tone that reminded her of her lord's eyes, revealing a beautiful eastern style palace that sat at the peak of the mountain. The terrain surrounding it was barren of life but majestic nonetheless: the encasing clouds melting and interlacing themselves with the sturdy marbled rocks.

Jaken could feel her awe, "Wait until we enter the main gate."

"What awaits there?"

Jaken's volume increased along with his enthusiasm while he spoke, "Look for yourself and be amazed by the splendor of our lord! Marvel at his impeccable taste! Everything that lies in the West, everything within those walls and beyond, belong to him! He has painstak-"

"Jaken, you're too loud." Sesshomaru said as they landed.

Immediatly, he quieted, "Sorry, milord."

The sound of metal could be heard briefly before the gates opened, the force of the doors swinging outwards rearranged the clouds into what looked like a thin misting of light.

True to what Jaken said, what lied inside of the gate was even more breathtaking than what lied outside of it. The palace was celestial. Building structures and stone paved grounds were surrounded by elegant stones, ponds, bridges, and trees and flowers, smelling as heavenly as the palace looked. Hundreds, if not thousands of soldiers, noblemen and ladies, and servants stood there to greet the returning Lord of the West who was known to be the strongest of all the rulers in feudal Japan.

"Welcome home." The voices said in unison, almost harmonically.

Home. This was home for Sesshomaru.

His voice rang out in the deafening silence of her mind, "Rin."

"Yes, my lord."

He walked forward without looking back, "Follow me."

"Yes, my lord."

Rin gracefully dismounted from Ah-Un and then held her hand out for Jaken who was having trouble getting down.

"Go with him you silly girl! Do not keep our lord waiting!"

She remained by Jaken with her hand outstretched.

"We're family, Jaken-sama."

Tears started welling up in his eyes before he held onto her hand and hopped down.

"You silly, silly girl. Now go."

Rin smiled before she chased after Sesshomaru. She soon caught up with him before walking side by side, proceeding past the beautiful gardens and up the long staircase leading to the grand doors of where Sesshomaru dwelled while he was within his own domain.

The demons within the palace looked on as the two passed by, whispering about what they were witnessing as their lord and his ward disappeared into privacy.

Sesshomaru led Rin to his study. It had been exactly as he had left it: immaculate, but he knew that within the hour new paperwork would start filling the tables and shelves and he would have to finalize treatises that have been left unsigned for the past year that he had spent traveling.

He sat on a cushion behind his desk while Rin stood, quietly asking for permission to sit across from him. He glanced at Rin and she immediately sat down, understanding what he meant by the gesture, with her ever present smile.

She was beautiful to look at. Not just for a human, but for both demons and humans alike. Sesshomaru didn't know if it was because he had grown used to her flaws or if it was because she truly was truly flawless. He took out a blank scroll and started to write on it.

"Your room will be in the eastern wing of this building."

"Yes, my lord."

The slightest movement of her fingers gave away what she was trying to hide with her smile but he let the silence linger in the air for a while before he spoke again.

"Would you like a teacher?"

His question caught her off guard.

"Pardon?"

"A teacher who would be able to teach you the ways of the court."

She never understood how he always managed to figure out what bothered her but a true smile finally bloomed on her face: one that parted her rosy lips and showed off her teeth. She caught herself in the act and quickly covered it with her hand.

"Excuse my manners, my lord. I would love to have a teacher to guide me."

The continued sound of his brush against paper fought the deafening silence.

"You may not walk next to me."

She didn't give a verbal response.

"Only the Lady of the West may walk in that position."

Was he telling her that she would never be able to take that spot? It's okay. She knew.

"Understood, my lord."

The sound of his brush prevailed in the room, the slight crackles and grates gathering in the space of her ears.

"My lord," he didn't have to look up from what he was doing for Rin to know that he was paying attention, "would you happen to have any scrolls on how I should behave before the teacher arrives?"

Sesshomaru glanced at the shelf behind him and Rin got up from where she was sitting.

"Thank you, my lord."

"Hn."

She walked to the shelf behind him to look for the scroll.

"Rin."

"Yes, my lord?" She replied half distracted by the titles of the scrolls on the shelf she was looking at.

"You need not always address this Sesshomaru by title."

Rin flushed. He could hear the sound of her heart rate increasing within her chest.

"B-but, my lord. It w-"

He knew exactly why Rin had not addressed him by his given name recently but, just as she was about to continue, he could hear one of the servants arrive.

She slid open the door and bowed deeply, "Hello Master, my name is Michiko. I have been sent by the head lady to serve Rin-sama. It is a pleasure to meet both you and her."

She kept her forehead planted to the ground before she heard a sound from the lord and began to raise her head, keeping her eyes downcast.

Her mannerisms had Rin's attention the moment she had slid the door to the study open. First because of the timing and second because she had never been greeted in such a way before. Never had anyone bowed so deeply to her or addressed her as 'Rin-sama.' She wasn't quite sure how to respond but when Michiko came out from her deep bow, Rin noticed how her green eyes, that matched her shoulder length hair, quickly flashed up to look at her and then just as quickly return to the floor.

Sesshoaru whipped the area next to Michiko's head with the poison dripping out of a claw from his remaining arm.

Immediately the servant returned to her initial position, "M-master! I apologize! That will not happen again! P-please spare me!"

Minutely, he raised a claw, "I have no need for one who cannot comprehend manners."

"Wait!" Rin cried, louder than she originally intended before she lowered her voice, "My lord, please do not take her life. I too am new here and do not comprehend the manners of the palace. Please allow her some time to learn."

Sesshomaru held her gaze before wordlessly letting the poisoned whip dissolve and continued to finish what he was writing. The sound of his brush conquered the room for a few tense moments before it was set down.

"Servant."

"Y-yes, Master."

He stamped the finished document, carefully rolled it up, and placed it on the edge of the desk.

"Send this message to the top scholar and then prepare a bath with scent canceling oils."

Michiko could still feel her heart pounding in her chest, "Y-yes, Master."

Her damned curiosity had almost cost her life. She knew that she was never to raise her eyes in the presence of the master but she could not stop her eyes when she smelled his scent deeply ingrained in the human. She knew that he possessed a human since the human's early ages but she had not known that the human also acted as a rutting tool.

"Rin."

"Yes, my lord."

"Have the servant guide you to your room."

Her heart started to calm from the previous pace.

"Yes, my lord.

Still, had she really been saved by that human?

To be saved by a human her first day working at the Western Palace... What a disgrace. No matter, she would recompose herself later. For now, she had to leave the presence of the master as swiftly as possible. She raised her head slightly to bow lower in order to rise to gather the scroll as quietly as she could before she moved to the door and knelt on her knees, careful not to make any more mistakes.

"This way, Rin-sama."

She allowed the human to exit the room before she bowed deeply once again, sliding the door shut and rising to walk.

It was a pain that there were so many rules in the royal palace.

She felt a tap on her shoulder and, when she looked, she was greeted with a smile.

"It's very nice to meet you, Michiko."

Didn't this female know that she was human?

"Ah, am I not suppose to do this? I'm sorry, I don't quite know the rules of the palace yet. I'd be happy if you'd teach them to me."

It seemed that she didn't.

"Rin-sama, it is not proper for us to converse like this. Please follow me to your room as the master ordered."

She had to admit that the human female was actually quite pleasing to look at. She could understand why the master bedded her.

Rin's brows furrowed slightly but relaxed just as soon as they tensed as she followed the emerald eyed demoness to a stop in front of another door.

Michiko kneeled before sliding it open.

She bowed half as deep for Rin as she did for Sesshomaru as their ranks dictated.

"Here is your room, Rin-sama. Please wait here until I have your bath prepared."

Rin began walking into the large room before she turned around to look at her, "What about my lord's?"

How could this woman be so ignorant?

"The bath that Master ordered is for you."

Rin was about to speak as Michiko shifted directions of where she was kneeling in respect to the door, bowed, and slid the door shut, "The scent canceling oils are to rid you of his scent from inside you."


	3. Chapter 3: Part I

Chapter III

 **Author's Note:** The plot has a slow build because I need to introduce the OCs, Aki and Michiko, and certain ideas but it's getting there. The second half of this chapter is posted separately because it contains a mature scene, a lemon. For those of you who do not want to read it, not much happens outside of establishing the dynamic of how Sesshomaru touches Rin in more explicit detail.

Enjoy!

* * *

Floral steam encased her silhouette and ascended into the open air, the warmth of the bath water soaking away all of her thoughts and worries. She tilted her head back and began to sing while her lightly calloused fingers massaged the knots out of her neck and shoulders.

 _"What's wanted of milk_ _,_

 _Limited passions—_

 _They're gathered with silk._

 _..._

 _Reflections of gold,_

 _Agonized doting—_

 _They're burning with cold._

 _..._

 _Whirlwinds of blossom,_

 _Soothing advices—_

 _They're met with the hum from a drum._

 _..._

 _I climbed all the_ _mountains,_

 _I've wait by the wells_ _—_

 _But only illusions I met._

 _..._

 _I climbed all the_ _mountains,_

 _I beat all the vices_ _—_

 _But not yet have I paid my debt._

 _..._

 _What's wanted of snow,_

 _I wanted them too_ _—_ _"_

Rin abruptly stopped singing, alarmed by someone entering what she had been told was a private bath.

Was it her lord?

A bell-like laugh rang out into the open space followed by a sing song voice, "Please continue, don't let me deter you from what you were doing."

Definitely not her lord.

She sunk deeper into the water, trying to cover more of her body, before she looked at the source of the voice. He smiled. His shoulder length hair glinted silver in the moonlight along with his eyes which were accented with turquoise blue markings that matched the single strips across his cheeks. Fine and colorful robes with intricate traditional patterns adorned his shoulders in layers that almost cascaded onto the wet floor. He looked like a doll and seemed to be in his early teens though Rin knew that looks could be quite deceiving with regards to the age of demons.

Her voiced echoed, "Who are you?"

He tilted his head to the side, silken hair flowing with the movement, "Me? My name is Aki. Aki Satoru. Pleased to meet you…?"

"Rin," she offered.

"Rin," he repeated. "Last name?"

"I don't have one."

"A human with no last name," curiosity sparkled in his eyes. So she was either a noble or- "Are you a servant, Rin?"

She found his honesty endearing, "No, I am not, Aki."

A noble then.

"Why are you here?" he asked, walking closer to where she was.

"My lord brought me here."

He looked surprised, "Sesshomaru did?"

"Yes."

Aki paused, "Are you, by chance, his ward?"

"How did you know?"

He laughed and then sat on a rock by the edge of the water, "Rumors travel fast when there is nothing else to do except talk."

"I see." Rin looked at the young demon before her, remembering her state of dress, "Aki, why are you here?"

Immediately, he looked around as if there were other people in the private bath called Aki and then pointed at himself, "You mean me?"

Rin laughed, "Yes, you."

"Ah." He dipped his hand into the water, swaying the current back and forth, "I heard someone singing and I had to see who it was."

They sat in silence before Aki spoke again, "Won't you finish that song for me?"

"I've never sung in front of somebody else before."

He looked up from the water, directly at her, "Do you like to sing?"

"I do."

He smiled gently, "Then it's no problem. Sing for me."

Amusement welled within her as she opened her mouth to sing once more. Her voice started off softly but quickly gained more support as she eased back into the melody of a song she had sung time and time again while waiting for her lord to retrieve her from the village he had left her in. The words had evolved a bit since then but the sentiments have remained the same.

 _"What's wanted of snow,_

 _I wanted them too_ _—_

 _But honey pairs best with the milk."_

Aki's eyes drifted closed.

 _"What's demanded of plums,_

 _I have always known_ _—_

 _So I can barely hold the gold._

 _..._

 _For fragile is gold,_

 _That's o'errun with stone_ _—_

 _And soon I'll be too old to be bold._

 _..._

 _What's wanted of suns is reflected in moons_

 _I'll be picking up petals of blossoms._

 _What's wanted of suns can't be given by moons_

 _Unless by the well of illusions_ _._ _"_

Rin's voice resonated within the air and Aki allowed it to live and thrive within the particles of the air surrounding them until the vibrations reached their natural end, "That was lovely." It was more than lovely.

"Thank you."

"Did you write and compose it?"

He noticed how the natural blush of her skin deepened as she replied, "I did."

He quite enjoyed her reaction, "What's it about?" Perhaps someone she had met during her travels.

"It's about...the harvest."

He laughed, "The harvest?"

She was a terrible liar. It was definitely a song of love.

"Yes! The harvest! I wrote a song about the harvest since the harvest wasn't good one year while I was in the village so I thought that by writing a song about the harvest the harvest gods would help with the harvest so that there would be plentiful harvests in the harvesting season for harvesting-" She was definitely a terrible liar, "since harvesting is so important for harvesters-"

A light tapping at the entrance of the bath followed by Michiko's voice, "Rin-sama, the Master has requested your presence," interrupted the rest of her sentence

Shame. He wanted to see how many more times she could use the word 'harvest.'

Aki chuckled and got up, "Looks like I should leave you to what you're doing. See you, Rin!"

"See you, Aki."

* * *

The doll-like demon waved Rin goodbye as he walked out of the door, catching the demoness on the other side off guard.

She immediately bowed deeper, "S-Satoru-sama! What are you doing here? You're not due until tomorrow morning."

He smiled, "You don't have to bow, Michiko-chan. I was eager to visit after the message you delivered." He paused, "I thought you'd be able to tell I was in there."

Michiko raised her head to look at him while she spoke, "Lady Rin was ordered to bathe in scent cancelling oils."

"Oh? What for?"

"Master's orders."

He raised an eyebrow, "Sesshomaru's? How interesting. I thought he'd be used to the scent of his own ward by now."

"That's not the reason for the bath."

"Hm..." He hummed before he smirked and walked towards Sesshomaru's study, murmuring a quiet "Even more interesting," ready to make the rest of Sesshomaru's day a living hell as his walk turned into a saunter.

* * *

His bare feet touched the wooden floor with a slight pep to every step, barely concealing the joy, or was it mischief, that he was feeling as he reached the room he was looking for.

He loudly slid the door open, "You asked for me?"

Sesshomaru hadn't moved from his position earlier in the day, "Tomorrow."

Satoru chuckled as he made his way to sit in front of Sesshomaru's desk, "Cold as always. I thought we were close."

He received no response.

"How were your travels?"

He received no response.

"Your ward has a lovely singing voice."

He received no response.

"Rin has beautiful skin. I recommend filling her wardrobe with red."

Sesshomaru looked up from what he was doing, "How would you know?"

"I wonder." Aki replied in a sing song voice.

Sesshomaru sighed, "You're just like mother."

"Is that so?"

Sesshomaru returned to the document in front of him.

Since when did his nephew become so boring?

Aki covered his eyes with the sleeves of his kimono, sniffling, "What would your father think if he saw you treating me, his only brother, like air?"

No response.

"So inhospitable! Oh where, oh where has my cute nephew gone?" The Lord of the Western Lands twitched. Aki increased the level of melodrama with every word, "Where has the one who would sit on my lap while asking for me to read to him gone? Where, oh where? I should've taught you your manners better!"

Sesshomaru scoffed, "As if you could teach anyone about manners."

Aki peeked over the sleeves of his kimono, "And yet you wish for me to teach young Rin?"

Sesshomaru's lips quirked upwards, "Wishing something of you? Never."

Aki smiled as he let his sleeve fall back to its original position, "Careful, Sesshomaru, your humor is peeking through."

He raised a brow at his comment, "Oh? Was I not suppose to have that?"

"I was told that it's a harbinger of disaster," his uncle countered.

"By who?"

"Can't say, you'd behead them."

"Hn."

"'Hn' is not a proper response."

The vibration of two pairs of feet on the ground cut short their familial banter. Moments later the servant announced the arrival of Rin.

Sesshomaru looked directly at his uncle and gave a smug, "Hn," before the door opened.

Aki was not in the habit of losing so as soon as Rin walked into the room, he carried out his plan: with arms outstretched, he landed right on top of her and wrapped his arms around her torso.

He looked up at just the right angle for light to sparkle in his eyes and smiled his brightest smile, "Rin!"

The brunette was stunned by the abrupt embrace, "A-Aki?"

"Yup. It's me!"

Sesshomaru's eyebrow twitched. He was exactly where Satoru wanted him.

"Rin." Sesshomaru said.

"Yes, my lord?"

"My uncle will be acting as your teacher starting tomorrow morning."

"Understood, my lord." She looked around the room, "Where is your uncle?"

Sesshomaru glanced at the demon who was currently hanging onto her for dear life.

Rin glanced down at Aki, "Aki is your uncle?"

Aki grinned widely, "I sure am!"

Rin looked back up at her lord, "Aki is your uncle?"

"Hn."

"...My lord, forgive me for asking, but how old are you?"

"I do not know."

Aki snuggled onto Rin's lap, "He's over 500 years old, Rin."

"Hm," was all she could reply.

"You're spending too much time with Sesshomaru: he's rubbing off on you but it's okay, starting tomorrow," he tightened his arms around her by a slight amount and then made eye contact with Sesshomaru before he finished his sentence, "you'll be spending much more time with me than with him."

Tension brewed in the room before Sesshomaru broke it.

"Servant."

Michiko slid open the door in a deep bow, "Yes, Master?"

"Wake Rin at dawn."

"Yes, Master."

He redirected his attention at Rin, "Rin."

"Yes, my lord?"

"Return to your room."

"Yes, my lord." She tried to stand but Aki was in her way. Sesshomaru noticed.

"Uncle."

"Yes, my cute nephew?"

His brow twitched, "Let go of Rin."

"Sure."

Aki released Rin from his arms and she stood. She was about to join Michiko before she heard her lord calling for her once again.

"Rin."

He said nothing but he held eye contact with her before looking back down at his paperwork. Rin nodded and left.

"Say, what did that exchange between you and your ward mean?" Aki drawled after Michiko slid the door close.

Sesshomaru didn't respond. Aki knew he wouldn't.

"You know, my cute nephew, one day you will need words to express how you're feeling and stop relying on just your cuteness because even the cutest of the cute will lose their charm with the passing of time."


	4. Chapter 3: Part II

Chapter III.V

 **Author's Note:** This is the second half of the previous chapter that contains the scene I spoke of.

* * *

Hours later, Rin put down the scroll she had been reading on demon etiquette and pressed herself against the luxurious material of her futon, waiting for the presence of her lord. The gold and jewel-toned accents of the needlework twined together to form natural patterns atop the crimson silken sheets which contrasted beautifully with her skin. Her heart pumped at an erratic pace within her ribcage, knocking against the bones that kept it prisoner within her. She had known the look her lord had given her well, wordlessly telling her that he would be visiting tonight.

She had been surprised at the gesture since it was only yesterday that he had taken her and because, while they were traveling, he would usually only desire her once every seven to fourteen moons. She supposed it was because he had to send Ah-Un and Jaken away, making it a greater inconvenience and thus decreasing the frequency in which he wanted her.

The door slid open and her lord walked in, drawing her attention to him. Each of his steps overflowed with feline grace as the powerful cords of his lean muscles controlled each movement down to the faintest of details, never once making an arbitrary move. Her heart threatened to make its way out of her when he reached her, nuzzling the ridge of his nose against the hollow of her neck, breathing in her scent.

A low vibration emanated from his chest, the sound imperceptible as he spoke, "Rin."

"Yes, my lord?" Her breath shortened.

"Undress." He commanded.

He knew that he had to mask their relationship from the demons serving within the palace but it had bothered him that her body lacked his scent. He would restore it tonight, if only until the sun rises.

"Y-Yes, my lord."

She slowly peeled away layer after layer of kimono, letting them pool at her feet before she reached her thin under robe.

"Stop."

The view and taunt of having only a sliver of sheer fabric separate him from what he craved enticed him, increasing the frequency of the deep rumbling within his chest though it still remained undetectable to human ears. Such a reaction would be ignored for its implications because he could see that, even without his explicit touch, her rosy peaks stood erect to proudly crown her breasts. They were inviting, pulling at his instincts.

He dipped his head to capture one clothed nipple between his lips and gave it a soft lick, tongue against the rough material, causing a noise that sent a wave of heat that tightened the coil within his abdomen to escape her.

He wished to hear her moan again.

He sucked her through the undergarment, smelling and hearing her arousal rise with each additional second he lavished on the sensitive flesh and then moved on to do the same with the other, occasionally taking them between his teeth and tugging. When he felt that he had adequately moistened the fabric, he pulled away to observe her reactions.

His golden eyes narrowed. She was left blushing, rubbing her legs together in an attempt to relieve some of the pressure that had built up between them. The fabric in the areas around her nipples had become almost invisible to the naked eye and he could smell the wet proof of arousal running down her soft yet toned thighs. His eyes flashed red.

"S-Sesshomaru-sama."

She finally called his name.

Gold met with warm pools of hazel brown before she continued, "May I touch you?"

"Hn." He consented as he leaned into her body to lick along her neck.

She laced her fingers through his hair and caressed his scalp. He purred. She pulled. The purr morphed into a growl. His languid licks morphed into an onslaught of bites and rough kisses while his hand immediately went to the fragile tie that held her robe together, flicking a claw at it and cutting away the material.

The final barrier that kept her concealed fell away.

Rin pulled Sesshomaru's head down to where her sensitive peaks were before she let go of his hair and began pushing away at the shoulders of his kimono, wanting to see and feel more of his skin against her. He complied to her first demand, taking the flesh into his mouth, but rejected her second wish to have more of him.

He held her wrists together and pushed.

She allowed gravity to take her.

Her back hit the cushioned bedding, hands pinned above her. She instinctively wrapped her legs around his hips, wondering how he managed to keep himself upright with his only arm holding hers.

She was quickly snapped out of her thoughts when he rolled his hips into hers, clothed member grinding into her oozing bare mound. She moaned louder.

"S-Sesshom-maru-s-sama."

He didn't reply but she continued.

"M-may I kiss you?"

At her words, he ground his hips into hers harder, making no move to aline their lips while his tongue grazed lazily against her neck. Rin found it hard remembering anything other than the sensations caused by rubbing against one another. Heated moments passed like this with sporadic increases in both strength and pace before Rin completely forgot about what she had wanted from him other than him.

He let go of her hands and righted himself before slipping himself out of his hakama, quickly returning to his previous position on top of her and allowing her hands to be free while he braced himself on one arm.

He spoke beside her ear "Take me inside you."

She obeyed and reached down, tracing a finger against the head of him before positioning him against her welcoming entrance and pressing a gentle kiss against his jaw to signal her readiness to accept him.

Sesshomaru pushed himself into her with one hard stroke, savoring the slide into her softness while holding back a groan.

She cried out.

He pulled out, and then, slammed himself back in, losing count of how many times they had already indulged in each other but it seemed as if it would never be enough. The hunger remained endless. The thirst only quenched by her.

She felt so warm and wet wrapped around him.

"S-Sesshormaru-sama!" She moaned before she composed her voice "…Harder, please."

"Hn." It was the same response as he always gave but she could hear the breath and strain within the slight hitch of the sound.

He righted himself once again, still inside her, before he moved a leg from his hips to his shoulder, placing it there as he leaned back down and once again braced himself before pounding into her. Her arms flew around his back. The new angle made him penetrate her deeper, rubbing against a sensitive area within her and the opening of her womb. She clawed at his back, crying out his name repeatedly.

"F-faster. Please, faster. Sesshomaru-!" He gave a particularly hard thrust, cutting off the honorific.

He wanted to hear the syllables of his name tumble from her lips more, needed to hear the syllables of his name tumble from her lips more, so he complied with her demand. _More_. Both were reaching their peaks. _More._ She chanted his name like a sacred prayer. _More._ His blood coursed faster and hotter within his veins. It burned. _More, more, more._ His eyes bled red. He closed his eyes. _He needed more._ Fangs elongated inside his mouth. He clenched his jaw... _He couldn't have more..._

A featherlight hand cupped his cheek, caressing it gently before she replaced her hand with her lips.

She kissed along his cheek, his hips quickened. She kissed along his neck, his rhythm became erratic. She kissed his ear, they both came as he released inside of her, spreading his warmth throughout her entire body.

She longed for his lips to press against hers but she knew that it was a losing battle so she settled for wrapping her arms around his back and snuggling into his neck, recognizing that this moment wouldn't last while clinging to the hope that it would.

He remained still for a beat, and then he pulled out and sat up.

Rin spread out on the futon dazedly, eyes following Sesshomaru's figure.

He slipped himself back into his hakama and looked at her, taking in her long black hair fanned out on the white of the pillow, skin flushed with color, and his essence leaking out of her swollen pink slit.

He stood up.

"Rin."

Her voice intertwined with her breath before leaving her parted lips, "Yes, Sesshomaru-sama?"

He glanced her way one more time, "Take a bath tomorrow after the servant wakes you," and left.

"Yes, my lord."

No. He _wouldn't_ have more.


	5. Chapter 4

Chapter IV

 **Author's Note:** A special thanks to those of you who reviewed and a thank you to those of you who are silently reading along as well! I cannot tell you how much the comments mean to me. They're kind of like coffee to a caffeine addict. As for how Sesshomaru and Rin began their relationship, I will address it in a future chapter. From this point onwards, the plot will be rolling forwards!

Heartfelt blessings!

* * *

The sun's gentle rays had barely grazed the edge of the cloudless sky when Rin was drawn from her slumber by Michiko, eyes slowly opening and refocusing. Words drifted in fragments across the thick haze of sleep, "Rin-sam… it's ti… to wake up." The demoness' voice held just the right blend of alto and soprano infused with a hint of rasp: it was pleasant to listen to.

Rin sat up and drew a hand across her eyes, slowly regaining her motor skills along with the memories of reality instead of dreams.

"Michiko, could you-"

"Rubbing your eyes will damage your fragile eyelids prematurely. Your bath will be ready momentarily."

Rin's hand paused mid movement. She could hear what the demoness had wanted to say as clear as the day that was to come. She had interacted with enough demons to know that the emerald-eyed demoness held a deep discontentment with having to serve a human just from her actions on the first day. Still, Michiko had been performing her duties well so she would ignore this harmless transgression.

Her hand fell to her side and she smiled, "That would be great. Come and get me when it's prepared."

She meant it as a dismissal but Michiko didn't leave. She could smell the master all over the human once again. What was the bath from yesterday for? Was it not to wash away the remnants of their shameful relationship? Had he not meant to return her to her position as his ward so he could once again take his reign of the palace without fear of tarnishing his noble reputation?

"The Master took you again yesterday," she stated calmly.

Her answer arrived after a brief pause.

"He did."

"You're wasting water," she spoke without thinking.

Rin got up from the futon and walked to the table that held the scroll she had taken from her lord's study in an attempt to quell her building ire. Her limbs moved like thread through a loom, fluid yet taut. Michiko's eyes trailed after her.

"Do you posses some hidden human secret in the ways to pleasure a male?"

Rin responded with a question though her words were delivered in the tone of statements, "I thought that it was not proper for us to converse?"

Still, the demoness continued with her onslaught of questions, each blurring into the next without a break, and Rin, given no pause, became infinitely more cross until the green-head asked the final question that set aflame her usually hidden temper.

"Why would he lie with a human when there are so many demonesses who would love to do so in your place?"

Red rage, blinding and seething, exploded within her chest.

Sesshomaru? With another woman?

Rin bit down on her tongue in a last attempt to keep herself in check, the taste of blood seeping into the crevices of her mouth.

Enough. Her jaw clenched but her voice clawed it's way out of her throat in a low and grating, "Quiet," a thinly veiled threat.

A chill shot up the demoness' spin, freezing her in place. Had she offended the female? Her body refused to move even the slightest of muscles, make the slightest of sounds, her unnatural instincts picking up on the tones of perilous danger crackling within the individual atoms of the air.

At last, silence.

Rin took a deep breath. She would calm her anger. There was no place for it. She was her lord's ward. She already held a higher fortune than she deserved and she would bring him honor. She would stay beside him no matter what he chose in the future, she had promised herself that. Yes, there was no place for anger.

The waves of menace stopped abruptly.

Her jaw relaxed as she smiled once more, voice returning to its normal tone, "Come and get me when the bath is prepared."

This time, the servant understood the dismissal within the lady's words. She bowed quickly before getting up from beside the futon and leaving the room.

This was ridiculous. She was a proud demoness. But... the human had felt like a hunter, a predator, to her. Briefly. Just briefly. No, it must have been her imagination. It must have been because she feared that the human would tell the master what had transpired between the two of them and she would incur his wrath. It must.

* * *

"Just call me Aki, Rin! Like yesterday, Aki! Repeat after me. A. KI." Aki's voice filled Rin's mostly empty and spacious study as they sat by a lightly colored wooden desk on the cool and clean tatami floor that held a lingering scent of fresh hay.

"But wouldn't it be more suitable if I called you Satoru-sensei instead?" Aki shot her a quick chiding look, "...Aki."

He smiled warmly and raised a hand to Rin's head, patting gently.

She closed her eyes, a small smile forming on her lips, "Hey, Aki…"

"Yes?"

She kept her eyes closed, a dreamy quality entering her voice in response to his touch, "Why are you so nice to me?"

He didn't stop the movements of his hands, liking the trust that the girl was placing in him, "What do you mean? Would you prefer if I wasn't?"

"That's not what I mean but," her eyes opened, unwavering hazel meeting silver, "you are a demon and I am a human."

His movements paused, "…Do you think such a distinction is important?"

"No," she answered and closed her eyes again.

He smiled, "Good, but, to answer your question, I'm nice to you because…" He placed both hands on her cheeks, "You're cute!" and squished, causing her to look like a goldfish.

Her next words came out mumbled from the position Aki put her face in, "Harhy, yu're mush cuher dan myshef, Ahi."

"Hm? What did you say?" he teased her.

She removed his hands from her face and then repeated herself, "I said, you're much cuter than myself."

He laughed, voice melodic, "Calling a fully grown demon cute?"

She took in the brightness of his joy, "Yes. You're cute, Aki, and your voice sounds like bells. It's lovely."

"…Thank you." A bittersweet memory of something long since passed crossed his mind before he returned to the present. "Now! What is it that you would like to learn, child?"

"Child?" Rin picked up on a change within her new teacher but chose to ignore it. "I hardly look like a child when compared to you, Aki. By the way, how old are you?"

"How old do you think I am?" He questioned.

She thought out loud, "Hmm…. I know that demons are always much older than they look and since you're my lord's uncle you must be older than him, but you may also have just been born by his grandparents later than him and because of that he must address you as such even with you being younger…"

Aki smiled and decided to give her a hint, "I am Sesshomaru's father's older brother. Not younger."

Rin's shock became evident on her face though she tried to mask it, "But my lord said that the previous lord was over 3000 years old when Inuyasha was born and it has already been 200 years since then."

He nodded, "Indeed."

"And even especially fertile demons only have children once every couple of centuries," she stated, trying to slowly piece the puzzle of his age together.

His amusement grew exponentially watching her with each passing moment, "Also true."

"You're not a twin?" she asked, trying to account for all possible solutions.

He shook his head, "I am not."

"You're 4000 years old?"

"Roughly." He smiled at her incredulous tone, satisfied by her reasoning. "I am of the first demons born by birth along with my brother."

Confusion sprouted a dainty flower within her mind, "A demon born by birth? Are not all demons born?"

Aki got up from where they sat on the floor to retrieve a blank scroll, ink, and brush from a nearby shelf as he answered her questions with a chuckle. "Nowadays, yes. However, the first demons were made, not born."

"How were the first demons made?"

"Vengeance, love, sadness, anger, old age, and many more." Aki returned to sit next to Rin, methodically setting up the writing utensils.

She thought back to her childhood and the only opponent that her lord had to chase down for an extended period of time, "Like Naraku?"

"No," Aki wet the brush in ink before continuing his explanation. "Naraku was a half demon who gave his body over to thousands of different demons who did not possess much power on their own when he was a human in order to gain motion and achieve his desires. This was a time before such demons were available, Rin."

"Then how?" Rin asked. With every word he spoke, her curiosity only grew. She needed to know how demons came to be.

His smile grew at her genuine interest in learning before he replied, "That shall be the topic of our first lesson then." The tip of his brush touched the blank scroll as he wrote the something in large letters across the top.

Rin read over his penmanship, "The... Ancient Ones?"

He nodded, "The first 'demons' are referred to as 'the ancient ones' because simply calling them 'demons' would not be entirely accurate. What humans refer to as 'gods' are also them. The only differentiation came from whether or not they were perceived to be evil." He wrote the key words down as he drew a diagram of what he was trying to explain, "Following this first categorization, children that were born to those thought of as 'demons' became natural born demons for carrying out their parent's will and bloodline while those who were born to 'gods' became gods for similar reasons. Occasionally, offspring choose a different side than their ancestors and are then referred to as something else depending on their level of power. Most small demons or shikigami came from the ancient ones infusing their energy into the essences of other animate or inanimate object or thing while first generation daiyoukai or gods came from the procreation between two ancient ones. They are truly awe-inspiring beings, far stronger than any you have met: more than my brother, more than me…" Aki continued, the lesson between the two continued for the remainder of the day. Neither moved from their positions much until Michiko notified them that it was time for supper and where it would be held for the night.

* * *

The silver and blues of moonlight and the gold and oranges of firelight fought for dominance on his skin while Sesshomaru sat on the tatami floor of the outdoor dining area, unable to bear spending a single second more indoors. His body was made for power, made for movement, not stagnation. He took a sip of aromatic green tea and awaited the arrival of Rin and his uncle while reflecting on how he had spent the day.

It had been the same as it had been the day before and would be the day after: sorting through agreements and approving meaningless tactical maneuvers with brief intermissions for short meetings with lower standing nobles who spoke in a roundabout manner about absolutely nothing. He raised his hand to massage the bridge of his nose. It had been tedious at best. His muscles burned, ached with the desire for use.

Where was Rin?

His thoughts took a turn.

Rin. His Rin. He had started rutting his Rin. He couldn't understand why. He could only recall the sensation that overtook him when he set eyes upon her for the first time he had returned to the old miko's village as promised, offering her the choice to either stay within the human village or return to his side.

That night had been quite similar to the one he was currently basking in. The moon had hung low across the faint horizon, almost kissing the earth, full and rounded while casting an ethereal sheen on everything it touched, including her. Perhaps it had been the rays of the fruitful satellite illuminating her lithe figure that had caused him to unconsciously desire to sow his seed within her. She was otherworldly, not of this earth, as nothing he had ever seen before could rival her at that instant.

No. As if he could be swayed by such a measly suggestion.

Then perhaps it was due to the long period of separation that even he could not stop the feelings of affection for a child he had once raised and protected but, though she held the title of his ward, he had never thought of her as such. He had accepted her into his pack but knew clearly that she was not his pup. She was human after all. She was human.

Rin was human. He was rutting a human. He would not have children with a human.

How had he allowed this to happen, to continue?

The sound of laughter broke him out of his thoughts. He looked towards the source of it.

Rin and Satoru walked in sync while speaking of things that obviously brought them joy. She reached a hand over to his nose before pinching it lightly without letting go, drawing another bought of laughter from her and a devious smirk from the child-like demon. He stuck his tongue out of his mouth before he licked the palm of her hand, causing her to gasp and pull her hand back while he laughed instead. She was quick to chide him, albeit playfully.

Sesshomaru felt a growl rumble within his chest but immediately crushed it. Ridiculous.

Both human and demon noticed him from where they were and greeted him simultaneously. Rin increased her pace while Aki lagged behind her. She took in her lord's attire and blushed before sitting at the tray table next to him. His hair was up and he was wearing a royal blue bordered white kimono with embroidered floral patterns of vivid shades of purple that hung loosely on his broad shoulders, revealing the planes of his chest as well as glimpses of his strong thighs from his sitting position. The magenta stripes on his wrists and ankles made her wonder where else across his skin held such markings. She had never seen him wear anything outside of his usual attire nor had she ever seen this much of his skin despite having slept with him. Her blush darkened.

Aki noted her reactions as he took a seat on the other side of his nephew and then observed his reactions as well. He seemed to be in a sullen mood. Perhaps it was the paperwork. Sesshomaru's words held a biting tone, "Uncle, I thought you were suppose to be teaching Rin how to act like a lady of the court." Perhaps not.

How interesting…

Her voice drew both of their attentions away from the other, "He has, my lord. Aki has taught me many things about demons today. He has even answered questions that I never even knew that I had and ones I never would have even had. The amount of knowledge he possesses is astonishing. We even went over-"

Sesshomaru glanced her way, cutting off the rest of her rambling, "Rin."

"…I'm sorry, my lord."

Truly, how interesting.

By now, Aki was able to gather the information he had been given during the past two days to conclude that the two had an intimate relationship. One that neither knew the extent of.

He chuckled, "Dear nephew, I would have liked to hear the rest of what she had to say as feedback is essential to learning." He couldn't help but tease him as the servants brought the food in on lavish trays, signaling the beginning of the meal.

The three ate in silence until Rin spoke up again, "My lord?"

He looked at her.

"Would it be possible for me to receive training in combat as well?" She had gotten used to spending days learning and nights fighting while in the village and had carried her habit with her after rejoining her lord even though she kept her nightly hunting secret from both him and Jakken.

"You are human, Rin."

Her head tilted down, "…Understood, my lord."

"I could train her in the basics of combat," Aki offered.

Rin smiled, "It's okay, Aki," and refocused on her food.

Satoru caught a quick scent of guilt coming from Sesshomaru before it was gone without a trace.

How naive the young ones were.

The rest of the meal passed by uneventfully before Rin excused herself and Sesshomaru ordered Michiko to escort her back to her chambers.

As soon as the servant and the ward was out of sight, Aki spoke, "Why deny her her desires when it hurts you so to do it?"

Sesshomaru understood the double meaning of his uncle's words and arched a brow, "Hurt? Is your old age clouding your brain?"

"Hardly. As you can see, I am brimming with youth." Aki lifted his arms and flexed to reveal little to no muscle.

Moments passed before Sesshomaru spoke again, "She is human."

"What of it?" Aki tilted his head.

"I will not repeat the same mistake as you and my father."

Aki's eyes flashed dangerously in warning, "Sesshomaru." The name lingered in the air before his disposition gentled once again, "Have you ever heard either me or your father call what we did a mistake?" Sesshomaru didn't respond so he continued, "Neither of us regretted our decisions."

The younger demon's jaw tightened, "Both of you were wrong. He was left dead and you in agony."

"Yet you know that Tōga and I would do what we did all over again in a heartbeat," Aki supplied without missing a beat, but he saw that his current tactic just wasn't working on his stubborn kin. He had an idea as he took on a sultry tone, "…You know, Rin is actually a lot like Aiko... If you do not want her, then shall I take this burden from your hands? After all, I'm willing to bet that you've never thought of her as family and, truth be told, I find her to be quite the pleasing bitch.""

A snarl ripped through Sesshomaru's chest.

* * *

"Michiko," Rin spoke as they walked through the luscious foliage towards the main building where she resided.

The servant stopped walking, remembering the events from earlier in the day and the chill she felt from the lady, "Yes, Rin-sama?"

She fiddled with her fingers, "Could you lead me around the palace grounds? I cannot stand to stay within just this one area any longer. I need to move."

The demoness bowed slightly, "Yes, Rin-sama," and continued walking.

They were passing by a pond filled with koi when Rin broke the silence, "Michiko, I'm sorry."

Why would the human apologize?

"Why apologize?"

Rin's hands grazed through the irises as they passed them by, "I was inappropriate this morning."

The emerald-eyed demoness stared at her lady for a long moment, "I was as well. I am sorry."

Rin smiled.

She spoke again, "Rin-sama, I will-"

But was interrupted by a burly voice coming from behind them.


End file.
